Afroptera pilosa ( Tjeder, 1967 ) Abdalla & Mansell & Sole, 2019

Abdalla, Ishtiag H., Mansell, Mervyn W. & Sole, Catherine L., 2019, Revision of the southern African genera Nemopterella Banks and Nemia Navás (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae), with descriptions of new genera and species, Zootaxa 4635 (1), pp. 1-89 : 66-68

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4635.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E1AC3BD4-6FCB-49F9-8069-624760C2CAF7
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7853351
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DBDF51-A718-FFF3-FF0D-F89831E95DB4
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Afroptera pilosa ( Tjeder, 1967 )
status	comb. nov.

Treatment

Afroptera pilosa ( Tjeder, 1967) comb. nov.

( Figs 71 View FIGURES 67–78 , 98 View FIGURES 96–101 , 132 View FIGURES 131–132 , 140 View FIGURES 133–140 , 156 View FIGURES 155–156 )

Synonymy

Nemopterella pilosa Tjeder, 1967: 478 View in CoL .

Etymology. Unknown, but probably from the Latin word pilosa (hairy) for its hirsute thorax and abdomen.

Type locality. South Africa, Western Cape Province. Dikbome , 32°53’S 21°22’E GoogleMaps .

Type depository. SAMC .

Diagnosis. Large species with striped thorax. Morphologically resembles A. obtusa . A comparison of these two species is provided in the diagnosis of A. obtusa .

Size (mm). Male: body length 9.7 (8.3–12.6); forewing 23.8 (21.5–27.4); hind wing 53.7 (48.1–62.1); antenna 19.8 (16.5–24.3); Female: body length 10.8 (8.7–12.1); forewing 22.8 (18.7–25); hind wing 46.8 (35.3–56.1); antenna 13.5 (10.8–16.2). (N = 48).

Type material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape Province. Holotype ♂ ( Fig. 132 View FIGURES 131–132 ), SAM–NEU– A001273, Dikbome, Merweville Koup [32°53’S 21°22’E] C.P (white printed label) GoogleMaps / Holotypus ♂, Nemopterella pilosa, Bo Tjeder 1966 (red handwritten label). ( SAMC) .

Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape Province. 4♂ 2♀, NEUR12538 , Wamakerskraal Farm, Laingsburg Dist , 33°01’24’’S 21°36’43’’E, 350m, 11.x.2008, J.B.Ball, A.P.Marais, At light / Nemopterella pilosa Tjeder, 1967 , Det. M.W.Mansell 2017 GoogleMaps ; 11♂ 8♀, NEUR10048 , Oorlogskloof Farm, Klaarstroom District , 33°21’48’’S 22°43’34’’E, 897m, 21.xi.2008, At light, A.P.Marais GoogleMaps ; 4♂ 2♀, NEUR10229 , Koup Siding, Laingsburg District , 33°07’40’’S 21°16’36’’E, 741m, At light, 17.x.2009, A.P.Marais GoogleMaps ; 3♀, NEUR10121 , Miertjieskraal Farm, Ladysmith District , 33°49’09’’S 21°08’01’’E, 299m, 26.xi.2008, At light, A.P.Marais GoogleMaps ; 2♂ 5♀, NEUR12585 , Mid- deldrif Farm, Laingsburg District , 33°03’13’’S 21°16’14’’E, 708m, At light, 18.x.2009, A.P.Marias GoogleMaps . Northern Cape Province. 5♂ 2♀, NEUR09742 , Williston Farm , 30°51’S 21°26’E, 20.x.2001, H.S.Staude. (All SANC) GoogleMaps .

Distribution and habitat. Afroptera pilosa has been recorded from the Northern and Western Cape Provinces ( Fig. 156 View FIGURES 155–156 ). In the former province, it is confined to the Bushmanland Bioregion in the Nama Karoo Biome where the habitat comprises salty, mud-stone soils and receives predominantly late summer / early autumn rains with an average of 100–200 mm per year. Dwarf succulent and spiny shrubs are dominant. While in the latter province, the distribution is in the Rainshadow Valley Karoo, Lower Karoo and Renosterveld Bioregions of the Succulent Karoo, Nama Karoo and Fynbos Biomes, respectively. Two populations have been reported from the Rainshadow Valley Karoo; one seems to be associated with the Koedoesberge-Moordenaars Karoo vegetation type (see description of the vegetation type under distribution of A. obtusa ). Another population has been recorded from Prince Albert Succulent Karoo vegetation unit to the west of Prince Albert (see description of the unit under distribution of N. remifera ). In the Lower Karoo Bioregion the species has been found in association with Gamka Karoo vegetation type (see description of the vegetation type under distribution of A. exigua ). In the Renosterveld Bioregion the vegetation cover is mostly comprises Montagu Shale Renosterveld type and includes Acacia karoo , succulent shrubs.